1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sun shade for vehicles, and more particularly to a sun shade used in combination with a sunroof for vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are problems and difficulties in providing suitable means for shading the sun entering the interior of a vehicle through the glass panel of a sunroof, particularly with respect to the manually operated type of sunroof that is installed in the roof of a vehicle.
Due to the fact that such sunroofs are generally installed as after-market units and because of the their design restrictions, sun shades or visors generally have not been compatible with the sunroofs. For example, shade devices have not been practical for use with those types of sunroofs that have hinged glass panels. This is mainly due to the configurational limitations of the frame structure, and the hinge and latch mechanisms employed with such frame structures. Also, the panels must be hinged along their leading edges to the framework; and the releasable latch devices must be mounted along the gear of the framework. Until now, the known hinges and latches have been designed to project below the inner framework of a sunroof. Hence, a shade device could not be employed to extend across the framework in order to cover the glass panel in a practical manner, without interfering with the operation of the sunroof or protruding below the interior headliner of the vehicle.
With the advent of the applicant's new recessed-hinge device together with a new recessed-latch mechanism, it is now possible to combine a sunroof of this type with a sliding sun shade.